Kim Myung-soo (; born March 13, 1992), also known professionally as L (, is a South Korean singer and actor. He debuted as a vocalist of boy band Infinite in 2010 and its sub-group Infinite F in 2014.

Early life

Kim Myungsoo was born on March 13, 1992, in

Seongdong-gu Seongdong District () is one of the 25 districts which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is situated on the north bank of the Han River. It is divided into 20 ''dong'' (neighbourhoods). The district is home to Hanyang University, one of ...

Seoul, South Korea Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

. He has a brother, Kim Moon-soo, who is two years younger than him. Kim attended Duk-soo High School and graduated from Daekyung University on February 15, 2013, majoring in practical music.

Career

2010–2016: Music and acting career

As a high school student, L auditioned for

Woollim Entertainment Woollim Entertainment () is a South Korean entertainment company founded in 2003 by Lee Jung-yeop. The label is home to artists such as Golden Child, Drippin, and Kwon Eun-bi. It has previously handled artists Epik High, Infinite, Lovelyz ...

after being street cast for his good looks. He was selected as the first member of

idol Idol or Idols may refer to: Religion and philosophy * Cult image, a human-made object that is venerated or worshipped for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents * Murti, a devotional image of a deity or saint used during puja ...

group Infinite. He made his debut as a vocalist of the boy group in June 2010. In 2011, he made his acting debut in Japanese drama ''Jiu Keishicho Tokushuhan Sousagakari'', which aired on

TV Asahi JOEX-DTV (channel 5), branded as , and better known as , is a Japanese television station serving the Kanto region as the flagship station of the All-Nippon News Network. It is owned-and-operated by the a subsidiary of , itself controlled by ...

in July. In 2012, he was cast in tvN's romance comedy series '' Flower Band'', as a guitarist of a rock group. He was also cast in MBC's sitcom ''What's The Deal, Mom?'' On May 15, 2013, L released a

photo essay A photographic essay or photo-essay for short is a form of visual storytelling, a way to present a narrative through a series of images. A photo essay delivers a story using a series of photographs and brings the viewer along a narrative journey. ...

book titled ''L's Bravo Viewtiful'', showing photos taken by him on a 93-day journey. The book was a best-seller, and reached No. 1 in pre-orders on online bookstores such as and Kyobo. In August 2013, he had a cameo in SBS's ''

Master's Sun ''Master's Sun'' () is a 2013 Korean drama, South Korean television series starring So Ji-sub and Gong Hyo-jin. The romantic comedy is written by the Hong sisters and aired for 17 episodes on SBS TV (South Korean TV channel), SBS TV every Wednes ...

'', playing the younger version of

So Ji-sub So Ji-sub (born November 4, 1977) is a South Korean actor. After making his entertainment debut as a jeans model, he became known for his lead roles in Korean drama, television dramas and films. So has also released several hip hop (music), hip ...

's character. In 2014, he was cast in supporting roles in MBC's '' Cunning Single Lady'' and SBS's ''

My Lovely Girl ''My Lovely Girl'' () is a 2014 Korean drama, South Korean television series starring Rain (entertainer), Rain, Krystal Jung, Kim Myung-soo, and Cha Ye-ryun. Having the K-pop industry as the backdrop, the drama tells the story of two pained indi ...

''. With bandmates Sungyeol and Sungjong he comprised the subgroup Infinite F, which released a single album, ''Koi No Sign'', in Japan on November 19, 2014, and a Korean album, ''Love Sign'', in December 2014. In 2015, he was cast in his first film ''Mister Shark'', about a boy who befriends a shark. In 2016, L was cast in the Korean-Chinese web drama '' My Catman''. He also starred in the drama special '' The Day After We Broke Up'', which was his first lead role.

2017–2023: Rising popularity and military enlistment

In 2017, L starred in MBC's historical drama '' The Emperor: Owner of the Mask''. His portrayal of a commoner who stands in for the king earned viewers' approval, and he was named Actor of the Month in June by MBC Dramanet. In 2018, L starred in the legal drama '' Ms. Hammurabi'' portraying a judge. His performance in the series was well-received, earning him increased recognition. In 2019, L starred in the fantasy romance drama '' Angel's Last Mission: Love''. In August 2019, L left Woollim. In 2020, L starred in the fantasy romance drama ''

Welcome A welcome is a kind of greeting designed to introduce a person to a new place or situation, and to make them feel at ease. The term can similarly be used to describe the feeling of being accepted on the part of the new person. Overview In ...

'' as a cat who turns into a human male. In December 2020, L starred in historical comedy ''

Royal Secret Agent ''Royal Secret Agent'' () is a South Korean historical comedy, detective television series. The series is directed by Kim Jung-min and stars Kim Myung-soo, Kwon Nara, Lee Tae-hwan, Lee Yi-kyung, and Jo Soo-min. Written by Kang Min-sun and Pa ...

''. Before his enlistment, he released his debut single album ''Memory'' on February 3. He also held an online fan meeting on February 20. While serving his military enlistment, it was announced on September 25, 2021, that L will make his musical theatre debut in the military musical ''Meisa's Song'' alongside

EXO Exo (; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean-Chinese boy band based in Seoul formed by SM Entertainment in 2011 and debuted in 2012. The group consists of nine members: Xiumin, Suho, Lay Zhang, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen (singer), Chen, Chanyeol, ...

Chanyeol Park Chan-yeol (; born November 27, 1992), better known mononymously as Chanyeol, is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, actor and model. He is a member of the South Korean-Chinese boy group Exo, its sub-group Exo-K and sub ...

, B.A.P.'s Daehyun and actor Moon Yong-suk. On March 7, 2023, L signed a contract with Look Media.

2024–present: Projects and activities in the Philippines

On November 12, 2024, L has signed a contract with Universal Records Philippines and GLXY Talent Management. A day after, he also made an appearance on a Filipino television variety show.

Personal life

Military enlistment

On February 22, 2021, L enlisted for his

mandatory military service Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it contin ...

as a member of the

Republic of Korea Marine Corps The Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC; ), also known as the ROK Marine Corps, ROK Marines or South Korean marines, is the naval infantry of South Korea. The ROKMC is a branch of the Republic of Korea Navy responsible for amphibious operat ...

. L was discharged on August 21, 2022. Later, on August 22, 2022, L posted on Instagram that he was discharged from military service.

Discography

Extended plays

Single albums

Singles

Songwriting and producing credits

Filmography

Television series

Web series

Hosting

Theater

Publication

Photobook

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:L 1992 births Infinite (group) members Living people Male actors from Seoul People from Seongdong District Singers from Seoul South Korean male idols South Korean male film actors South Korean male television actors South Korean male pop singers South Korean male web series actors Republic of Korea Marine Corps personnel 21st-century South Korean male actors 21st-century South Korean male singers